BASKETBALL: Ada outshoots Wapak

December 12, 2011

Typically, a 60-percent shooting night would be cause for celebration.

Typically.

But when your opponent shoots 67 percent and knocks down 14 three-pointers, well, that makes the climbing a little tough.

The Wapakoneta Redskins found out just how tough in a 70-55 loss to the Ada Bulldogs in a varsity boys basketball game Friday night at Wapakoneta High School.

Ada was playing in its first game of the season. But the Bulldogs didnâ€™t look like it, shooting 24-of-36 (67 percent) overall from the floor and 14-of-21 (67 percent) from three-point range.

â€śOne started hitting and somebody else started hitting and it was just contagious,â€ť Ada varsity coach Chris Sautter said. â€śEverybody was shooting with confidence.â€ť

Game. Set. Match.

â€śWeâ€™re not going to beat many teams when they shoot it that well,â€ť Wapak varsity coach Matt Bradley said.

For its part, Wapak also shot the ball well, hitting on 21-of-35 (60 percent) from the floor and 8-of-13 (62 percent) on 3-pointers.

The Redskins held their ground through the half, trailing by just one, 34-33, at the break.

But Ada continued its torrid pace with a 10-2 run â€” book-ended by 3-pointers from Micah Roberson and Konnor Baker â€” to open the third quarter.

The Redskins would get no closer than five the rest of the way as Ada limited their shot opportunities.

â€śWe started switching some things,â€ť Sautter said. â€śThey set that screen up at the high post and did some different things off of it. They can get you in some bad spots if you donâ€™t jump to the ball and get over the top of that screen. So we just started switching. ... I thought defensively we played better the second half.â€ť

Wapak was just 3-for-9 from the floor in the fourth quarter.

â€śWe look at the scoreboard and we know that weâ€™re down and we take quick shots because we are trying to get back into the game,â€ť Bradley said. â€śBut weâ€™ve just got to get stops somehow someway.â€ť

Baker led all scorers with 24 points despite having just three points at the half. He scored 12 of Adaâ€™s 22 points in the pivotal third quarter.

â€śOur intent was make him give up the ball to the other guys,â€ť Bradley said. â€śHe did that and they made their shots.

â€śI canâ€™t say that we didnâ€™t follow the game plan. It was just a bad game plan, bad coaching.â€ť

Bobby Steiner had a big night for the Bulldogs, connecting on 5-of-6 from behind the arc for 15 points.

Wapak had three players in double figures. Jake Buzzard led the way with 15 points on 6-of-10 from the floor.